


Let You In

by madeofconstellations



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Good Brother Ben Hargreeves, Good Brother Diego Hargreeves, Klaus Hargreeves Deserves Better, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Mild Hurt/Comfort, No Incest, Sibling Bonding, Sick Klaus Hargreeves, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2020-01-07 14:09:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18412229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madeofconstellations/pseuds/madeofconstellations
Summary: Klaus gets a migraine, Ben and Diego help, and unresolved issues come up.





	Let You In

**Author's Note:**

> Okay a couple things:  
> \- This takes place in a slight AU where Luther isn’t a dick and listened to literally anyone and the apocalypse was averted because they were decent people to Vanya. They also all live in the house together now, and this is about a month post-canon.  
> \- I headcanon (or theorize? idk) that how long and how well Ben can be solid is very dependant on Klaus’s state, hence why he was unable to to do this before he was sober. Klaus has been working on it but it’s difficult for him to embrace his power  
> \- Also migraines? Only met her once, and this was based off of that 1 (one) memory.

“Jesus, you look like shit.”

Klaus winced at the volume of the voice in the room, rolling over onto his side. His voice was hoarse and scratchy, but he managed to huff, “Well thanks, brother dearest.”

Across the room, Ben scoffed quietly. He sat in his chair, the one that Klaus had put in there for him ages ago, knees drawn up to his chest. As Klaus groaned quietly and clutched his head in his hands, Ben watched him with a thoughtful expression. “Are you okay?”

Klaus waved a hand dismissively. “Can’t be worse than you, I imagine.”

“Ouch, you didn’t have to play the dead card.” Ben was smiling in good nature, but when Klaus didn’t respond to the banter, his face fell. Though he was facing his back, Ben could tell that his brother was not himself. “Are… you okay?”

“...’m fine,” Klaus murmured.

“No, definitely not.” Ben leaned forward. “What is it? Withdrawal? Hangover?”

“I haven’t been drinking!” Klaus said with surprising authority. He seemed to realise that Ben wasn’t going to leave him in peace as he begrudgingly rolled to face him. “It’s just a migraine. Get them every once in awhile, it’s not a big deal.”

“And yet I’ve seen you make a bigger fuss about a paper cut,” Ben mused. He missed what Klaus mumbled in response. That was one thing he’d learned through all his time with Klaus; Klaus was known for making a big deal about little things, but never actually fussed about his biggest issues.  
It didn’t used to be like that- when they were kids, Klaus was always the one that was larger than life. When he fell down the stairs in Mom’s heels and had to get his jaw wired shut, the house felt empty and quiet- that is, until Klaus became an expert in every other possible way of communicating. Ben smiled fondly as he remembered Klaus actively cherading his way around the house, throwing crumpled balls of paper to get people to look at him. Klaus had loved being the center of his siblings attention. 

Ben’s smile vanished as he realized that Klaus never really did that anymore.

“I’ll get you some medicine,” he concluded, rising from his chair. For the past few days, Ben had been dropping in and out of his solid form as Klaus was honing the new ability, but he was still surprised when his hand went through the door knob. From his bed Klaus whimpered rather pathetically, and Ben realized that maybe a solid form was asking a bit much of his current state. 

“Yeah, I don’t think that’s gonna fly,” said Klaus. 

“I can go grab someone else?” He offered.

“Don’t bother.”

“What?”

Klaus sighed. “Nothing. But- maybe just see if you can get it yourself?”

Ben furrowed his brows, concern nestled deep in his stomach. “Why…?”

Quiet, then a small, “Please?”

He sighed- there was no way he could deny him. “Fine, I’ll do my best,” Ben conceded. He cast a final look at his brother, then slipped through the door.

The house was quiet- not the oppressed silence of their childhoods, but a restful moment of quiet that they found between the moments of chaos. Everyone was busy, he guessed, because he didn’t come across anyone as he made his way through the too big house. The kitchen was empty when he arrived too, so he was free to struggle with the cabinets in peace. 

Though Klaus had been training over the last few weeks, Ben’s corporeal form was still unreliable at best, and as he tried to open the medicine cabinet it became clear that he was affected by Klaus’s weakened state. After prying it open, it took him several frustrating attempts to even hold the aspirin bottle. Still, after only a few seconds, it clattered to the floor.

“Dammit,” he growled in defeat.

“Need a hand?”

“Jesus!” Ben startled, whipping his head around. Leaning against the doorframe was Diego, who looked thoroughly amused. “How long have you been standing there?”

“A few minutes.”

“And you just sat there? No sympathy for your dead brother?”

Diego shrugged. “I wanted to see how Klaus was coming along with that. Speaking of which-” He nodded towards the fallen medicine, “-what do you need that for?”

“It’s for Klaus.”

Diego nodded sympathetically. So much for any secrecy from their nosy siblings. “Fallen off the bandwagon?”

“No! Can’t you give him a little credit?” Diego put his hands up in defeat as he picked up the medicine bottle. “He’s got a migraine. I’m trying to help, but…”

“Right, no body.” Diego turned his back to him. “No worries, I can take it from here.” 

Ben reached out to stop him, but like before he passed through Diego’s shoulder. “Wait, I don’t know if you should.”

Like all of Ben’s dumbass siblings, Diego ignored his warning and continued up the stairs. “Why not?”

“Klaus asked me to do it by myself.”

“You?”

“Yeah.”

“The one with no body?”

“Well, yes, but-”

“Right.”

Ben sighed. They had reached Klaus’s door, and he didn’t want to bother him with their argument. “Look, I don’t know what’s up with him today. But I think he wants us to leave him alone.”

For a blissful moment, Diego looked between Ben and the door like he was actually going to heed his warning. Then he shook his head. “I hear you, but I don’t think Klaus really knows what’s best for him right now.”

“Of course you don’t,” Ben muttered, too quiet to be heard by Diego.

“Coming in!” Diego announced. He barged into his room, much to Klaus’s distress. Ben followed behind reluctantly, hoping he could convey his apology to Klaus with his expression. Klaus groaned in anguish- from the migraine or the intrusion, Ben wasn’t sure.

“What is he doing here?”

“Helping you. A thank you would be nice.” Diego tossed the aspirin to Klaus and examined him. 

“Your ‘helping’ is rather loud,” Klaus lamented, squeezing his eyes shut.

Diego ignored him. “I’ll get you water.”

“I tried to stop him!” Ben explained as soon as he was out of earshot. Klaus didn’t respond, and Ben sat down beside him. “I’m sorry. I’ll try to keep him in check, but…”

“But what?”

“But maybe it would be okay if he helped?” Ben offered. Klaus scoffed with uncharacteristic scorn. “Look, I know you’re in pain, but Diego can help you more than I can. And it wouldn’t be a bad thing to let him.”

Ben reached for his hand, half expecting it to ghost through. He was pleasantly surprised when Klaus took it and softly squeezed. “I know, but… it’s hard sometimes. I just-”  
Diego was back in the room, gently setting a glass of water on the nightstand. Klaus shut back down, gaze focused on Diego as he pulled the curtains closed. “I also brought an ice pack, if you want it. Supposedly that’s supposed to help.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Klaus closed his eyes as the pack was put on his forehead.

“Grumpy, are we? You know you could’ve asked for help earlier if you wanted it.”

Klaus laughed abruptly. “Oh, are we doing that now?”

That, finally, gave Diego pause. Ben froze, watching them closely. Klaus didn’t seem too concerned with it, eyebrows furrowed in pain. “Doing what?” Diego asked. 

“Oh, you know,” Klaus gestured at nothing in particular. “Helping each other, offering emotional support, just generally being a good sibling.”

He said it casually, but Ben could see how the words affected Diego. He let the ice pack fall. “I- I’m a good brother!”

“Are you now? I hadn’t noticed.”

“Klaus, he’s just trying to help.” Ben started.

“Yeah, sure, now he does that.” Klaus sat up, shrugging off the blankets. “But where were you when I was high off my ass and stuck in some alleyway or- or how about when I was literally kidnapped and tortured and went missing for a day?”

“Klaus, I- I-” Diego stuttered, utterly defenseless.

“Oh, that’s right, you didn’t notice. None of you did. I asked you for help, and you didn’t listen. Nobody listened until their lives depended on it.”  
Ben was watching his family fall apart before his very eyes. And like so many other times, he was helpless to stop it. Diego was staring at his hands, eyes welling up. Klaus huffed and laid back down. 

“I… I know I’m not-”

“Diego, I really don’t want to hear it,” Klaus cut him off. Diego looked at Ben in distress, and all he could do was shrug. 

“I know, but I have to say this.” Klaus looked up at him curiously. “I know I haven’t been the best sibling recently- or ever, really- and I… legitimately regret that. We’ve never been a great family, but I care about you, Klaus. And then when the world was ending we spent all that time together and yes, we had to do it then to save the world. But I also realized how important you were to me. I’m just sorry I didn’t figure it out sooner.”

Klaus closed his eyes, and Ben could see tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. “Diego, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Diego shook his head with a gentle smile. “Maybe we both messed some things up, but… maybe we can fix that, too.”  
Klaus was baring a mixture of emotions on his face- hurt, still, but something much gentler and kinder too.

“Don’t worry about figuring this out now,” Diego said. “We have all the time in the world.”  
In a tender moment, Diego helped Klaus sit up and held the glass of water to his lips. As Diego made to leave, Klaus reached forward and held him in a tight embrace. After only a second of hesitation, Diego wrapped his arms around him too. 

A month ago, they wouldn’t have dreamed of such an intimate thing. A month ago, Klaus would’ve never been able to open up to anyone but Ben. Then again, a lot had changed  
since a month ago. 

And maybe that was a good thing.

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr is @made-of-constellations and I'm accepting requests right now!


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